Eric Stokes, the Green Bay Packers’ third-year cornerback, has had a turbulent 385 days.
Last season, he missed the second half of his sophomore season due to a torn meniscus and Lisfranc injury suffered in a game against the Detroit Lions on Nov. 6. While rehabilitating from both injuries, he suffered another setback in the form of a hamstring injury, which prevented him from being in the Packers’ lineup for the start of 2023 as planned.
Instead, the Packers kept him shelved on the physically-unable-to-perform list. He didn’t return to the field for the first time until Oct. 22 when the Packers traveled to Denver for a meeting with the Broncos. Stokes didn’t even play a single defensive snap — instead, he was relegated to four snaps on special teams.
Another hamstring injury reared in its ugly head, prompting the Packers to move him to injured reserve.
Stokes has missed the Packers’ last five games, but on day No. 386, he was back at practice. As of Monday, the Packers have a 21-day window where they’ll have to decide whether or not to activate him to the 53-man roster or keep him out of commission — if they opt for the latter, he’d revert to injured reserve for the remainder of the season. The window closes on Dec. 18, one day after the Packers host the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Lambeau Field.
“You’d be crazy to ignore any of the past, but I know he’s feeling really confident right now and really good,” said head coach Matt LaFleur on Monday. “It’s great to have him out there.
“Even throughout all this, he’s maintained a great attitude and he’s a great teammate, so it’s great to have him back out there.”
Figuring out where Stokes would fit in the secondary is no longer ‘a champagne problem’ for defensive coordinator Joe Barry. If anything, the group around Stokes will be unrecognizable.
Since Stokes was last seen, the Packers traded Rasul Douglas and a fifth-round pick to the Buffalo Bills in exchange for a third-round pick and Jaire Alexander has been hindered by injuries of his own. The two-time All-Pro is no longer dealing with the back injury that caused him to miss some time early in the year, but his recent shoulder injury is doing him no favors.
Alexander sustained the injury in a Nov. 5 game against the Los Angeles Rams. He’s missed six of the Packers’ last nine games, including their last three in a row. He’s continuously been a limited practice participant and appeared to have a real shot at playing on Thanksgiving versus the Lions. Instead, the Packers will likely take advantage of the 10-day gap between games — they host the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday night — to make sure he’s at 100 percent, or as close to it as possible.
The Packers have leaned on the services of Carrington Valentine, a seventh-round rookie who has become a pleasant surprise after being thrown into the fire. Since Douglas was traded and Valentine was penciled in as a regular starter, he’s been targeted 23 times, surrendering just nine receptions for 97 yards and a pair of pass breakups. In that four-game span, he’s allowed an opposing passer rating of 68.8, according to Pro Football Focus.
Stokes could play on Sunday night, and his presence would be very appreciated against Patrick Mahomes, but it’s unlikely. To avoid similar blunders, it’s reasonable to anticipate the Packers to reintroduce him gradually.
